My Brother, My Friend

After an entire day of doing loads of laundry and putting them all away, planning a dinner menu for the week, gathering coupons, making a grocery list and then shopping, cooking dinner, doing the dishes, and finally getting Ava to bed, I sat down at my computer with a glass of wine.  And suddenly things started to bother me.  Like the drone of the TV downstairs.  The loud crunching noises Jeremy was making while eating Doritos.  The fact that I'd done "housewife" duties all day.  And I thought, "I need to get out of here.  NOW." 

Plans were made and soon I was cruising down the highway blaring Master P and Lil' Kim, singing along, bobbing my head, and feeling...free.  It was a beautiful summer evening and I was headed to the north side to meet my brother for some drinks and appetizers at Moon Dog Tavern.  I couldn't wait!

Matt and I have always had a good relationship.  None of that sibling rivalry for us, thankyouverymuch.  As youngsters, we had wild imaginations and put them to good use, creating an entire neighborhood in our den with Fisher Price houses and Lego people; we used bookshelves to create apartments and halves of plastic Easter eggs for bushes; during the holidays those Fisher Price houses would put out their Christmas lights...aka pipecleaners...and each Lego person had his or her own personality.  We even took our neighborhood adventures outside, carving roads in the dirt and planting little flimsy weeds as trees.  Matt and I made countless, silly tapes and listened to them over and over.  We enjoyed watching the same shows, took bike rides together and even formed our own club with a few other kids who lived nearby.  It honestly was an idyllic childhood, growing up with a brother who was also my friend.

(What's with the outfits?  Yikes!)
 

Of course we annoyed each other now and then, and we did have a few silly fights.  But overall our relationship has always been a good one, and as we've both matured and graduated college and gotten jobs, Matt and I have maintained a steady flow of emails, IMs, texts, calls and get-togethers.  Our groups of friends have merged on several occasions for dinners, drinking and dancing, parties and game nights.  I think what we have is rare, and that's what makes it so special.

After losing our dad to cancer, I couldn't think of anyone better to walk me down the aisle when I married Jeremy.  It was an honor to have my brother by my side for one of the most important days of my life.  I was extremely nervous right before the church doors opened.  The music was cued up to Trumpet Voluntary, and my breathing escalated.  Matt turned to me and asked if I was okay.  I'll never forget that moment.

And when Ava was born, I knew Uncle Matt would be the best uncle ever.  Even as an infant, Ava knew that Uncle Matt was someone special; she was enthralled with him from the get-go.  When Matt comes over for dinner, Ava puts on a show and will do anything to make him laugh.  She plays with him, shows him all of her toys, smiles at him constantly, and even in a roomful of people she knows very well, she will reach up for her uncle to hold her.

I am thankful that Matt is not only my brother, but also my friend.  And last night was just what I needed: we sipped cold beers outside in the warm evening air, shared crunchy, greasy appetizers, and chatted easily the entire time, switching from one topic to the next. 

Thank you, Matt.  You were the "bright side" to an otherwise ordinary Tuesday evening.  I love you!